Higher mass stars burn their fuel more rapidly than lower mass stars. Super giants burn very rapidly and then collapse into neutron stars, pulsars or black holes (live fast, die young - chug vodka shots and party like an animal) while the more wimpy main sequence jobs consume their fuel at a more sedate pace (a bit like having afternoon tea in polite company) and merely lift a butt-cheek to express their satisfaction... expelling some excess gas and leave a beautiful planetary nebula!
Stars are a lot like people!
Phil.
Now that's what I all astronomy for the masses kids especially would love that analogy (perhaps wouldn;t understand the vodka bit). It made me howl all the same. Is it copyrighted? :wink:
Oh yes, forgot to mention. Whilst we lambast our US cousins for in-you-face aptriotic world saving movie scenarios (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow etc) we should give some credit to those in the US who actually make a reasonable attempt at a movie.
Over in New York we went to see 300 - superb. After seeing Sin City, I was sure this was going to be good - and I wasn't let down.
Now that's what I all astronomy for the masses kids especially would love that analogy (perhaps wouldn;t understand the vodka bit). It made me howl all the same. Is it copyrighted? :wink:
I'm a firm believer in making learning fun! Serious points or useful information are much more readily remembered if you can associate them with a ridiculous mental image. There are many boring mnemonics for remembering the colours of the rainbow (Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain - amongst others... had to look that one up!) but I much prefer Roll Over You Great Big Innocent Virgin! Not only do I remember the sequence because I can see the image, but I clearly remember who taught it to me and also when and where - my chemistry teacher in Newman College in Dublin, 1985, Merrion Square park, during an outdoor chemistry class in summer! He had us rolling around in his classes and standing on tables in group-participation practical demonstrations. Memorable (and fun) stuff!
Higher mass stars burn their fuel more rapidly than lower mass stars. Super giants burn very rapidly and then collapse into neutron stars, pulsars or black holes (live fast, die young - chug vodka shots and party like an animal) while the more wimpy main sequence jobs consume their fuel at a more sedate pace (a bit like having afternoon tea in polite company) and merely lift a butt-cheek to express their satisfaction... expelling some excess gas and leave a beautiful planetary nebula!
Stars are a lot like people!
Phil.
You certainly have a way with words Phil,
Dave L. on facebook , See my images in flickr
Chairman. Shannonside Astronomy Club (Limerick)
Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me,
but what a way to go.
+ 12"LX200, MK67, Meade2045, 4"refractor
...the whole time I was thinking fguihen was talking about "Little Miss Sunshine!
What year is the movie set in?
Made in 2006, set in the same year.
its actually set about 50 - 60 years into the future. the director set it then as its possible some mindboggling new physics could have been discovered, and also the technology in the movie wouldnt look too alien, and more close to what were used to.
My bad, sorry!
In actual fact, you're talking about the new movie, "Sunshine"!
D'OH!
:oops:
Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.
Regarding the physics in Sunshine, they simply refer to the payload as a "Stellar Bomb" the size of Manhattan, also the biggest bad in the movie is its liberal use of gravity on a craft without any carousel, any reference to the craft accelerating at 1g, and anyway the rooms on board are all orientated along the axis, like a submarine. In one case the airlock gains gravity when it is pressurised, wow!
And, I mean, if you can control gravity, a star going out should be simple to fix, shouldn't it? Just increase its mass until you coax its core back to life.
And remember, always lock and alarm the airlock when leaving your spaceship, even if you are only nipping out for a mo', thats all I have to say about that.
I think Albertw is probably closest to the mark (go up at night when the sun is out!) based on our current technology.
Incidentally that joke goes at least as far back as the early 60s. Paddy the American was boasting that the US were going to put men on the Moon, Paddy the Russian was boasting that Russia were going to send men to Mars and of course Paddy the Irishman was boasting we were sending men to the Sun and to avoid being burnt up they were going to go at night!
Anyway even accepting that plot is total Hookum there is a scientific possibility that even with a massive reaction like that in the sun a very minor change in initial conditions could result in a significant change in the evolution of the entire system.
Injecting even something as minisicule as a mass as small as Manhatten at the 'right' time, place etc. into a very large system such as the sun could based on Chaos Theory result in a significant measurable change. Of course we would need to know a lot more about the sun than we do today ie both the initial conditions and the details of the matter, particle and energy flows.
Think of the old analogy about a butterfly fluttering its wings in the Gobi desert that causes a Hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico which results in an Atlantic Depression lashing our western coast, flooding the Shannon Basin and increasing the power output from Ard na Crusha that in turn causes a blackout in the Dail (scary huh?)
Oh yes, forgot to mention. Whilst we lambast our US cousins for in-you-face aptriotic world saving movie scenarios (Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow etc) we should give some credit to those in the US who actually make a reasonable attempt at a movie.
Over in New York we went to see 300 - superb. After seeing Sin City, I was sure this was going to be good - and I wasn't let down.
Dave (not Fanning)
I have to say that sunshine is , so far my fav movie this year so far. not for its scientific merits, but for the story, the effects, the cinematography, and the acting. oh, and the special effects. My vista animated desktop is the fire animation that looks kinda like the surface of the sun in that movie. now if only i could change the color of it.....
"Success is the happy feeling you get between the time you do something and the time you tell a woman what you did." Dilbert.
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